'We look tired' - Willie Peters makes admission over jaded champions Hull KR
Hull KR 12 Toulouse 32 Hull KR slumped to a second home Super League defeat of the week as Toulouse ran out deserved 32-12 winners following a ruthless second half at Craven Park.
Four days after a midweek loss to Warrington, Craven Park endured more misery at the French side ran in six tries to leave Rovers looking over their shoulders in the play-off race.
“We’ve played every single week this year and we’re in a block of four games in 15 days. We go to Wigan on Thursday and you can see we’re tired,” said Peters.
“We’ve only got the option now to push through and keep going. Regardless of the performance today, there’s reasons. We went out to win the game but it’s a tired team.”
It was a scrappy start – much to the frustration of the expectant Hull KR fans – as Toulouse dug in during the opening 20 minutes and then exerted some control before Mathieu Jussaume scored the opening try on the half-hour when he broke through down the right.
The defending champions, chasing a home play-off berth, finally sparked into life when substitute Elliot Minchella went over in the 35th minute after a surging run by Peta Hiku, with Rhyse Martin adding the extras to make it 6-6 heading into half-time.
Toulouse opted to kick for a penalty early in the second half after a late tackle from Tom Amone, but Cesar Rouge saw his 35-metre attempt hit the crossbar. Hull KR continued to be pushed back and Toulouse deservedly got themselves in front again after 57 minutes when Benjamin Laguerre burst down the left and fed Romeo Tropis under the sticks.
Toulouse further extended their advantage when Anthony Marion got on the end of a kick through and barged over, with the try given following a lengthy video review which showed the ball had been grounded after KR initially had looked to have held him up.
Hull KR crumbled again when Paul Ulberg was played into space down the left before Tropis burst clear through down the other channel. Luke Polselli added another late scrappy Toulouse try before Louix Gorman got a consolation score for the home side.